Burning
by Batdz Angel
Summary: It burns, burns, burns. Third part of my Running Verse series.


**Title: **Burning  
**Author:** Batdz Angel  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Veronica Mars; the show and the characters are property of Rob Thomas and UPN. I also don't own the song lyrics quoted here or in the title; they belong to Johnny Cash.  
**Word Count: **3934  
**Pairing/Character:** WeeVer friendship/romance, mentions of Lilly/Weevil romance, Logan/V friendship and Duncan/V relationship.**  
Rating:** PG-15 for allusions to sexual situations.  
**Archive: **Just drop me an e-mail or message on my Livejournal and let me know where. I'm always up for sites dedicated to my OTP.**  
Summary:**_ It burns, burns, burns...  
_**Spoilers:** Before "Donut Run" aired.  
**Author's Note: **Third part of my Running Verse series.

--

"What do you want?"

Logan Echolls rolls his eyes at her as he leans against the lockers, saying mockingly, "Not _you_ that's for sure. I don't do leftovers."

Veronica Mars smiles sweetly as she says, "Really? You seemed to enjoy being Lilly's."

His eyes darken briefly at the stab but she ignores him as she opens up her locker and rummages for her books. After watching her for a few moments, Logan says, "I need your help."

She snorts and shuts her locker as she stares at him. "Excuse me?"

"I need your help," Logan repeats and then adds, "Well, technically, Duncan needs your help but he's too chicken to ask you for it."

Her face softens slightly at the mention of Duncan Kane and she says, "What is it?"

"You know," Logan says as he walks beside her down the hall. "That the Manning's want custody of Lilly?"

"Yeah."

"Well, they're trying to have Duncan committed," Logan says. "They managed to get his medical records as evidence for the custody hearing and it doesn't look good."

"So, what is it he wants me to do?" she asks as she pauses in the doorway of her home room. Logan shrugs and says uncomfortably, "He said that you knew the Manning's weren't fit to raise Lilly and he wants you to prove it."

Veronica takes a deep breath and looks away, chewing on her lip. Logan waits for her answer and when she takes a few minutes to contemplate what this would entail, he says dryly, "You know, Ronnie, this _isn't _rocket science." He gasps suddenly. "Or is your new beau to insecure to allow you to help out a friend?"

"Tell Duncan to meet me at the office," she replies ignoring his jibe at her new relationship with Weevil Navarro. "And for your information, Logan, Eli doesn't allow me to do anything he doesn't already like." She smiles sweetly at his expression, patting him lightly on the arm. "Which is so refreshing from my other relationships."

--

Weevil doesn't glance up from his glaring at his homework as he feels Veronica sit beside him at lunch. Absently he accepts the kiss she gives him and says, "How's your day going, mama?"

She shrugs as Cindy 'Mac' McKenzie and Wallace Fennel sit down as well, saying, "Pretty good. You?"

"I fuckin' hate this shit," he grumbles as he finishes his assignment for history. "When's our next school break? I could use a vacation."

"Winter break is coming up," Wallace offers and Weevil sighs. "Guess I'll have to wait until December," he bemoans and Veronica smiles as she teases her boyfriend, saying, "Aw, is Eli tired of homework?"

"Shit, Eli's tired of homework and work," he retorts but brightens. "Oh, listen, V, my grandma wants you to come by for dinner tonight."

Veronica frowns. "Any reason why?"

He grins. "She wants to spend her birthday with her family and since you're now family..." he trails off at the look on her face and says quietly, "But you don't want to go-"

"No," she interrupts him, horrified at his suggestion. "God, Eli, that's not it! Of course I'll go; you can pick me at the office. I've got some last minute case reports to finish up and then I'm all yours."

Wallace looks at Mac and says, "Isn't it funny how when most girls say that, they don't mean it like she does?"

Mac laughs and Veronica throws a chip at Wallace, saying, "Mind your own business Fennel." She turns back to Eli who is looking down at the tabletop. Her heart twists as she realizes he is still thinking of her hesitation. Taking a deep breath, she touches his hand and smiles as he turns his eyes to look at her.

"I want to be there," she promises and he smiles at her slightly before kissing her on the mouth. Mac leaves as does Wallace, who cites being to nauseous to watch them drool over one another to stay and Veronica smiles as Weevil says, "What are you doin' this afternoon, after class? I mean, other than finishing up at the office? I could swing by early and we could go and get Grandma a present or something."

She brightens and says, "That would be great!" but pauses as she remembers her conversation that morning with Logan. "But I can't."

Weevil arches his brows at her. "Oh?"

She sighs. "I promised Mac I'd go do something with her before I went to the office," she lies and guilt twinges in her gut as Weevil nods his head and kisses her brow. She's not doing this on purpose, she convinces herself, but if he knew that she was meeting Duncan _and_ Logan, he would want to be there...

_Why shouldn't he be_? A tiny voice asks her. _He is your boyfriend. He does have that right, you know._

She pushes that voice aside and tells herself that it's going to work out fine.

Which is why when Weevil walks into the office an hour early, flowers in his hand, Veronica knows she has got a lot of explaining to do.

And the expression on Weevil's face is one she never wants to see again.

--

It's not that he doesn't trust her; if there's anything that's he particularly certain of it's that Veronica Mars is one of the most trustworthy people he knows. But the fact is that he doesn't trust a lot of the 09-ers; especially the two that not that long ago held Veronica in the palms of their too clean hands.

She's fidgeting, her fingers tapping against the desk in a way that makes his hands itch. While Weevil knows Veronica doesn't think he's stupid, he also knows she wishes that he sometimes would forget that she does dangerous things that no other girl would ever dare to do, much less try. And while he trusts Veronica, adores her in a way that scares him at his most quiet moments, he doesn't particularly care for the smirk on Echoll's face or the glare that Kane is feeding him.

He straightens his shoulders and says casually, "Guess I'll see you later, yeah V?" and she flinches in a way that makes his chest ache as she fumbles, saying, "Eli, I'm... I can't make it tonight to your grandma's..."

He knows she isn't Lilly. Logically, he knows this and he knows that if he even thought Veronica was the kind of manipulative, vindictive person Lilly had been, he wouldn't of gone near her in any way, shape, or form. But sometimes, Veronica hurts him as deeply as Lilly did because she doesn't mean to hurt him.

He looks down at the carpet for a moment before saying calmly, "Can I ask why?"

"Why is it any of your business?" Echolls sneers and Veronica glares at him, saying harshly, "Shut _up_ Logan!"

Weevil runs a hand over his face wearily as Echolls obliges but sneers at him as he crosses his arms over his chest. Finally, he says, "You know, I could've sworn you said that you were going out with Mac today."

She winces as he calls out her lie from that morning but Weevil continues, the anger and hurt rising in his voice as he adds, "In fact, you said that you'd meet me here at the office and we'd go to my Grandma's together." He pins his girlfriend with an angry stare. "You want to tell me the truth now, V or should I just walk out of here?"

The unspoken words of _Walk out of your life_ are heavy in the air and Veronica doesn't know what to do about this whole situation; she had lied to Weevil that afternoon but she had thought that Logan and Duncan would be gone before he came to pick her up. Obviously, he had managed to get off work early and she watches as he paces the office, the bouquet of flowers in his hand tossed onto the coffee table as he says in answer to her silence, "All right then. Guess I know where I stand, yeah?" before he turns and walks to the door.

Her eyes widen in horror as she realizes that Eli thinks...she doesn't know what he thinks but she knows it isn't good, and she flies across the room, saying, "Eli, wait!"

"No," he spins to face her, his dark eyes snapping angrily as he jabs a finger behind her to the two silent figures. "No, V, I'm not waiting no more. I can't do this _shit_ with you!" He takes a breath and says, "I trust you, V. Don't think I don't 'cause that's such a stupid thing to think after all the shit we've been through but..." He shakes his head at her. "I don't trust _them_ and I don't want them around _you_."

"We should go," Duncan says suddenly and rises. Logan leans back in his chair and Duncan says sharply, "Logan."

A disgruntled sigh comes from the other boy and he gets to his feet as well, saying sourly, "Ruin my fun, why don't you Kane?"

The two young men leave the office and Weevil exhales as Veronica says quietly, "Can I just explain?"

"Fine," he says bitterly. "Explain to me Veronica, why your two _ex_-boyfriends were sitting with you when you said all you had to do today was some typing."

"Duncan needs my help," she replies. "Lilly's grandparents want to keep her and he needs my help to prove that they aren't good parents for her."

"Then why isn't your dad handling this?" Weevil demands and Veronica looks away as she can't find an answer to his question. "Huh, V? You told me what the Manning's did to her sister, keeping her in the closet and shit which tells _me_ that this isn't something for you to handle on your own."

"I can handle it just fine," she snaps angrily and Weevil says, "No, you _can't_, V! I know people like that, I watched people like that my whole life, all right and they don't give a shit about boundaries, about hurting people that want to help!"

"This isn't your neighborhood, Eli," she snaps before she can stop herself. "This is different."

He feels himself go cold at her words and steps back. "Wow," he says after a moment as Veronica eyes widen as she realizes what she has said. "Guess I know how you really feel, huh, V?"

"Eli," she says. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."

"No," he says his voice ragged. "You meant it or else you wouldn't have said it." He looks away for a moment. "I'll tell my Grandma you couldn't make it."

"Weevil."

He opens the door, not meeting her eyes. "See you around, Veronica."

And then he is gone.

She stands in the office, alone and feeling her breath grow short as tears blur her vision. Leaning against the wall, she slides down to sit on the floor and begins to sob.

Meanwhile, outside the office, Eli leans his head against his hand and whispers raggedly, "It burns..." as hot tears spill down his face. He coughs and wipes his eyes roughly before straddling his bike, picking up his helmet and sliding it over his head. With a roar, he takes off down the street, tears spilling down his cheeks as he leaves Veronica behind.

--

Mac arches her brows at her as she leans back against Veronica's bed. "So why are you angry at Weevil?"

"Because he's unreasonable!" Veronica punches the pillow in her lap saying, "How _dare_ he say that I can't handle this case, I can!"

"Veronica," Mac says patiently. "Look, from what you told me about the Manning's? You can't handle this case. You shouldn't even try. Look, tell your dad about it. Have Duncan use him instead you."

"No," she says stubbornly and Mac narrows her gaze at the blonde. Finally she says, "You know, I don't know what you're really mad at: Weevil being concerned about you or Duncan and Logan causing the two of you to fight or yourself. Because you lied to your boyfriend and got caught."

Veronica stares down at her hands. Tears blur her vision as she says softly, "I screwed up, didn't I?"

"Oh yeah."

"I need to fix it," she says and Mac shrugs. "The only way to fix this," she says. "Is if you let Duncan and Logan know that you are no longer at their service."

"What?"

"Oh, come on Veronica!" Mac exclaims. "Look, I don't want to offend you but you _always_ come at their beck and call! I don't know if it's misplaced loyalty or some masochistic behavior, but Veronica you have Weevil now." Her dark haired friend leans forward, saying intently, "Why do you keep going back to your past?"

And for the first time, Veronica Mars didn't have an answer.

--

She watches him from across the quad, memorizing the way his black shirt molds against his back and arms. She knows how the skin beneath feels, how it tastes when covered with sweat. He looks up and their eyes meet; pain flickers in his dark eyes before he looks away and she takes a deep breath as she turns back to her own lunch.

Wallace studies the girl before him and says, "I wasn't gonna say a damn thing but you're pathetic."

"Not now, Wallace," she pleads and her best friend shakes his head. "I talked to Weevil," he says. "And you know, he screwed up but Veronica you can't expect him to just take shit like that lying down, you know?"

"None of my other boyfriends cared," she mutters sourly as she stabs at her food. Wallace arches his brows and says, "Then why don't you date them?"

"I don't want them!"

"Then why are you sitting here with me?" Wallace asks gently. "When you want to be sitting with him?"

Veronica squirms and says, "Because...because I don't how to fix this. I can't do this Wallace."

"Then why did you get with him in the first place?" Wallace leans back to watch Weevil with his boys. "Look, Veronica, he's intense, right? You had to know that wasn't gonna change." He leans forward. "And isn't that what you love about him?"

Her head jerks up, blue eyes wide. Wallace lets out a whistle as he watches Veronica's face. "Guess _that_ was news to you, too?" he says before picking up his soda. Veronica groans and buries her head into her arms as she says, voice muffled, "I hate my life."

"Yeah," Wallace agrees cheerily. "You should."

--

She knocks on the door and waits impatiently as she crosses her arms over her chest. The door opens and Duncan blinks at her in surprise, saying, "Veronica?"

Logan appears behind him, holding a bottle in his hand as he says, "The prodigal daughter returns then?"

"Here," she says, ignoring Logan and handing Duncan a folder. "My dad will be by later to go over that with you."

"Veronica?" Duncan says bewilderment written in his voice. "Why is your dad-"

"Because I can't handle this," she says. "For one, I knew Meg and that always causes problems in a case like this. Two, I know you Duncan and no matter what I find, the prosecution will claim that it's tainted because of our past relationship. Three, I need to move on with my life. I can't keep running away from my future, you know?"

His eyes soften as he studies her; dressed in jeans and a baggy sweatshirt, her eyes are red-rimmed and bloodshot. It's obvious that the past few weeks have been hard for her and Duncan knows that while he didn't intend to come between Veronica and Weevil, it didn't work out that way.

"I'm sorry," he offers softly. "I didn't mean to cause you any problems."

She smiles wanly. "It's okay," she says. "I'll figure out how to fix it." She looks down at the carpet and then looks back up at him. "I do love you, Duncan but you are still in love with Meg and that's okay. I moved on and you should too."

"You're amazing, Veronica Mars," he says warmly and she laughs as she turns to leave. "So I've been told," she replies as she glances back at him, smiling slightly. "Be happy Duncan. Okay?"

He nods and watches her vanish from his life once more. Logan scowls from where stands and says sourly, "That's it? No fighting for her love?"

Duncan shuts the door and looks at his friend silently for a moment. Finally, he says, "See that's the difference between you and me Logan; you expect Veronica to fall into your arms. You think deserve her but the reality is she's meant for a lot more than you can offer her."

"And you think Navarro can give her that?" Logan scoffs and Duncan shrugs as he takes the bottle from his friend's hand. He begins to walk towards where his daughter is busy fussing with her blankets. Pausing long enough to glance back at his friend, Duncan says, "I don't know, but I think he's willing to try."

--

The phone ringing causes Veronica to stir in her sleep, mumbling to herself as she fumbles blindly for it. Grunting, she opens it up and says groggily, "Hello?"

A soft chuckle filters over the line and a voice says, "Well, well, well, guess it is true; you gave up on the boy, yeah?"

Veronica's brain wakes up at the sinister tone and she says clearly, "Who the hell is this?"

"Nobody," the voice says. "Just a concerned citizen asking you, Veronica Mars: do you know where your boyfriend is?"

Fear fills her and she sits up in bed, saying, "What did you do to Eli?"

"_I_ didn't do anything," the voice says. "But I can't reassure you that other disgruntled parties didn't take matters into their own hands." The voice chuckles deeply and adds, "I wonder how much internal bleeding it takes before someone dies? Would you happen to know?"

Panic and hysteria fill Veronica as she slams the phone shut and flies out of her room, calling, "Dad!"

Keith stumbles out of his bedroom blearily, wiping at his eyes as he blinks sleepily at his daughter. "What?" he manages as he yawns loudly. Veronica fumbles with a pair of old sneakers left beside the door. "It's Eli," she says as she pulls a blanket around her shoulder. "He's in trouble, Daddy, I need to find him-"

"Veronica," Keith says as she fumbles with the doorknob. "Honey, what are you talking about?"

"I got a phone call," Veronica begins but shakes herself. "And I'll explain on the way, Dad, but please I need to find him!"

Keith sighs and nods his head. "Let me get my keys and some shoes."

She sighs with relief as Keith disappears into his room and then opens the door. A moan sounds from the ground and she looks down, blue eyes widening as a shriek falls from her mouth.

"_Dad_!"

--

Pain flares in Weevil's chest as he struggles back to consciousness, his eyes fluttering open as he stares up at a white ceiling blearily. Wincing, he turns his head slightly to see Veronica sleeping in a chair, wearing a t-shirt that he recognizes as one of his old ones and a pair of flannel pajama bottoms. Narrowing his eyes, he studies her quietly as she sleeps, head propped up with her fist as she snores quietly.

Turning his head again, he stares as he sees that his grandmother is reading the Bible quietly, rosary dangling from her fingers. Clearing his throat, he manages a hoarse, "Grandma?"

Letticia Navarro looks up and smiles warmly at her grandson as she rises to her feet. "Eli," she says softly as she puts her Bible down and goes over to his side. "Oh, _m'ijo_, what happened, baby?"

He shakes his head, not meeting her gaze as his mind remembers what had occurred. His boys, his family had turned against him rather swiftly; Thumper leading the rebellion and ordering his dismissal. He can't face his grandma as hot tears fill his eyes as he murmurs, "It's fine, Grandma. It's done with now."

"You know who did this to you?" Letticia asks seriously and his silence answers her question. Pain fills her as she kisses his brow, murmuring to him Spanish. Finally she straightens and says, "I will tell the doctor you are awake. You rest now, Eli."

"Send Veronica home, Grandma," he pleads. "I don't want her to see-"

"They left you at her door, Eli," Letticia informs him quietly. "Wild horses could not remove her from that chair and I certainly will not." She places the rosary in his hand and fold his bandaged fingers gently as she adds, "Now, I must speak with that doctor."

Weevil watches his grandma leave the room and lifts his hand silently, studying the rosary for a few minutes. The sound of Veronica's voice pierces his thoughts as she says sleepily, "You're okay."

He drops his hand and turns his head to look at her, meeting her tired eyes. He says nothing for a moment as she stares back at him but finally says, "I'm made from tough stuff, you know."

She nods her head and then looks down at her hands, chewing on her lip. He studies her and then says, "Go home V."

Her head snaps up, eyes narrowing as she says, "Excuse me?"

"Go home," he says again, his heart twisting. "I don't want you to see me like this, okay?"

"Tough shit, Eli," Veronica retorts as she tips her chin up. "Because I'm not going anywhere." She reaches out and takes his hand, entwining their fingers tightly. "Nothing's going to make me leave; not whoever did this to you or you." She searches his eyes intently and adds, "It took me a while but I figured it out."

"What's that then?" Weevil challenges and Veronica leans forward, kissing him softly on the mouth. The last few weeks of being alone have given her enough time to imagine what this would be like and it is even better than she had remembered. Finally pulling away, she stares straight into his eyes and says, "I love you, Eli. And no one's taking you from me."

He says nothing but stares at her with dark eyes. Finally, he lifts their entwined hands and kisses her palm gently before whispering, "I love you too, V. So much that it scares me."

Veronica feels her body relax at his returned admission and then kisses him again. She pulls away and presses their brows together, inhaling his scent as the night's events catch up to her. Tears slide down her face as she whispers, "I can't lose you Eli. I can't."

"You won't," he whispers back fiercely. "Not if I can help it V."

And she believes.

**FIN**


End file.
